TJ Ford Retires Following Latest Injury Scare

Last Wednesday, point guard T.J. Ford suffered a minor neck injury after taking an elbow from Baron Davis. Luckily, Ford was OK, as he was diagnosed with just a stinger. While the collision was different, the sight of Ford motionless on the floor was not. Ford, who suffers from spinal stenosis, has never played a full season in the NBA.

Ford missed the final 26 games of his rookie season and all of the next season when he was nearly paralyzed by Mark Madsen. In 2007, he missed two months following a flagrant foul by Al Horford after leaving the game on a stretcher. Being in that position again made the decision to retire easy for Ford. From SpursNation:

By Monday morning, Ford said he was feeling no ill effects from the injury.

“If I had to play today, I could play,” he said.

Instead, Ford says it was his mental state that led him to call it quits. He couldn’t picture a future in which he is unable to play with his 6-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter.

“I don’t know if I could live with myself if I continue to put myself at risk,” Ford said. “I don’t want to look at my son and have regrets of not being able to enjoy every minute playing with him.”

Ford spent time with the Bucks, Raptors, Pacers and Spurs. He averaged 11 points and 5.8 assists over his career. People will say Ford’s career was too short, but Ford is probably happy that it was that long.

Stephen Douglas

Born and raised in Mid-Southern Upstate New York, Stephen holds a master's degree in public communications. Money well spent? I'd say so. These days he jokes about sports on the Internet. Professionally.

Comments

Bummer. Hope he finds another career path where he can succeed. Stay healthy, TJ

The Wayne Fontes Safari

People will say Ford’s career was too short, but Ford is probably happy that it was that long.

I have a customer that played a few years in the NFL. He hurt his neck/head in a game and went on the IR. He said the psychological impact of re-injury and what it would mean to his wife and kid prevented him from ever returning to the game. Took the decent amount of money he earned playing and his college degree and moved on with no regrets.

stynga

Loved watching him play in college, despite the fact he was at Texas.

TheGilly

OT

I heard today that the NCAA selection committee has to make sure BYU is in a bracket that would not have Sunday games.

/Mormons are taking over the world.

A.P. (artist formerly TJ21)

I heard today that the NCAA selection committee has to make sure BYU is in a bracket that would not have Sunday games.

yes, that’s the case all the time with BYU.

http://twitter.com/jaykidd13 José Ovechkin

I heard today that the NCAA selection committee has to make sure BYU is in a bracket that would not have Sunday games.

yes, that’s the case all the time with BYU.

Ok, I was about to say that that takes balls when you’re a 14 seed. If I was on the committee I’d have been like fuck it, let’s take Drexel intead

http://www.twitter.com/kcresident KC Resident

Loved watching him play in college, despite the fact he was at Texas.

Ditto. He was fun as hell to watch in college.

A.P. (artist formerly TJ21)

Ok, I was about to say that that takes balls when you’re a 14 seed. If I was on the committee I’d have been like fuck it, let’s take Drexel intead

Mormons have a rule about no competition and other things on Sundays. The late Larry Miller, when he was alive and owning the Jazz, stayed home when the Jazz had a playoff game on a Sunday because he was a devout Mormon.